2026 Best Value Dairy Science Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Dairy Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/animal-science/dairy-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for dairy science students.
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2026 Best Value Dairy Science Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the dairy science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Dairy Science Schools
Leading the list is Iowa State University, our #1 best value for dairy science in the The Plains States Region. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the dairy science program here. Soon after graduation, dairy science degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $39,567. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes South Dakota State University one of the best values for dairy science. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. Students from in state pay about $9,299 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Typical student debt for dairy science graduates is $23,162. Soon after graduation, dairy science degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $44,844. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
